Home Vegetable & Fruit Gardening – Organic Farming

Projects: Done

With the change to Daylight Saving Time came a change in temperature. Working outside was refreshing. The ground has just started to thaw so walking around there is only a little amount of mud. When I look out into the garden I often think and wonder about how my garlic is doing. I took advantage of the weather today to see if I could learn anything about the garlic.

A garlic plant poking up through the ground.

Seeing this plant was exciting. In December I was worried I had not protected the garlic with enough mulch. After a mild winter I think I have been fortunate and will have a good garlic crop this year.

One of goals this year was to give one of my garden beds a year off and plant it with a cover crop. I purchased a quarter of a pound of Johnny’s “Summer Alfalfa” to use for to allow my beds to rest. Alfalfa is slow-growing, and I need to get as much as I can out of it. So I lightly raked the bed.

The first bed to have a year off.

Then I cast the alfalfa seeds. It was fun not to have to put seeds in the “right” place.

If you look closely you can see the alfalfa seeds.

The final project of the day was to build a compost sifter. Late in the fall I found a used lawn tractor trailer. I bought it mostly so I could sift my compost and haul it to where I needed it. I used a couple of two by sixes I had lying around. I cut them to thirty-six inches long, and used the remainder for the other sides.

Top left – the four boards cut. Top right – setting up the wire mesh. Bottom left – wire mesh stapled. Bottom right – project completed.

I used a standard wire mesh that I picked up at Home Depot. It is wide enough to rest on the trailer. I used two by sixes so I can fill it up and not spill over the sides. I will also be getting help from my friend Dylan and it will help him not spill too much.

I missed writing last week. I traveled to visit my family for a quick weekend. It was a pleasant surprise to visit with them and to see some old friends.

I hope you had a wonderful weather weekend. Did you finish or start any projects this weekend?

Enjoy this season, learn from last season, and look forward to next season.